The American diet is broken and much advice about improving it focuses on what to cut out, limit, or lower to make it better. Whether it's less fat, added sugar, or sodium, Americans are continually being told that they are getting too much from what they eat, but there's at least one exception to the cut back rule. Americans need to eat more fiber.
The Institutes of Medicine suggests total fiber intake for males and females between ages 19 and 50 to be 38 grams and 25 grams respectively or about 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories a day.
Currently, Americans get only about 15 grams a day with less than 5% of all US workers meeting the daily requirement. While it may seem as though adding fiber is just about keeping you "regular," fiber intake is inversely correlated with reducing the risk of coronary heart disease , diabetes, obesity, and some cancers . That is, the more fiber you eat, the healthier you're likely to be
A Day's Worth of Fibrous Foods
Below is about a day's worth of fiber for men at about 39 grams of fiber. Women need about 13 grams less per day, but remember, more is better than not getting enough. Brown Rice, cooked 1 cup Fiber: 3.5 grams Whole Wheat Bread, 2 slices Fiber: 3.8 grams Black Beans, boiled ½ cup Fiber: 7.5 grams Almonds, 24 kernels or one ounce Fiber: 3.5 grams Pear, 1 large Fiber: 6.5 grams Blueberries, 1 cup Fiber: 3.5 grams Carrots, cooked ½ cup Fiber: 3.6 grams Peas, cooked ½ cup Fiber: 4.4 grams Red Potato, baked with skin 1 medium Fiber: 3.1 grams
Source: caloriecount.about.com/healthy-eating-bc1